FEATURE


A YEAR FOR ACTION


Iris Cepero, communications manager at British Safety Council and editor of Safety Management, calls on the new government to take health and safety seriously in 2015.


Last year saw the 40th anniversary of the landmark 1974 Health & Safety at Work Act. There is widespread agreement that vast strides have been made over the last 40 years in reducing the toll of workplace injury and work- related ill health occurrences.


The 1974 Act has played a significant role in helping improve the management and regulation of workplace health and safety. However, the latest HSE statistics, 2013/14, highlight that much remains to be done to make that further step change – particularly concerning ill health occurrences. The improvements going forward will need a concerted effort by a wide range of stakeholders: we cannot and must not be solely reliant on HSE. We all have to step up.


Since the launch of the 1974 Act the statistics speak for themselves. In 1974 fatalities at work were close to 700 per annum while the latest figures from the HSE show that this number has fallen by 80%. This statistic reinforces the UK’s world leading record in safety and health and the country should be proud of this.


Two major reforms created a lot of heat and light in 2014.


Government plans to remove a vast swathe of self-employed people from the protection of health and safety legislation generated widespread criticism and concern. The evidence in support of this fundamental reform


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does not stand up to close scrutiny. By March 2015 the government agreed “to produce a set of regulations that will retain a duty on all self-employed persons who may pose a risk to the health and safety of others”.


HSE proposals for reform of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 produced a record number of responses to the public consultation. While British Safety Council members broadly supported the thrust of the changes, including the repeal of the competence requirements and ending the CDM coordinator role, we did express concern about the proposal to axe the ACOP. We keenly await having sight of the seven sets of guidance that will support the CDM 2015 Regulations.


So what should the industry be aware of in 2015? We are nearing the end of what has been a lengthy and resource intensive period of legislative review and reform. Employers, and those involved in managing workplace risks, have had to absorb a mountain of changes concerning health and safety regulation.


People at the sharp end need time to review the adequacy of their policies, systems and practices to ensure continuing compliance. Good quality and proportionate guidance from HSE is key.


What the commercialisation of HSE will mean in practice is still to be determined. It is essential that going


forward HSE continues to be an effective regulator, with a continuing policy capability, and the source of technical and scientific expertise.


It is important that the new government sends out a clear message that it is committed to playing its part in promoting workplace health and safety. We want to see a government that forcefully spells out the benefits of effective regulation and management of health and safety.


We call on the government to work with key stakeholders to identify measures, possibly using taxation or insurance, which could be put in place to incentivise organisations to ensure the health and safety of their workforce.


The new government should build on the Public Health Responsibility Deal by developing a greater understanding of the important role employers have to play, beyond compliance, in helping their workforce remain healthy and well.


At a time of rapid technological and demographic change, risk awareness should be a crucial component of any young person’s transition from school to work. We call on the government and appropriate industry stakeholders to work together and mainstream risk- education into learning, apprenticeships and induction for young people starting work.


www.britsafe.org FEATURE | TOMORROW’S HEALTH & SAFETY YEARBOOK 2015/16


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